(Phoenix, Ariz. – Aug. 21, 2008) Attorney General Terry Goddard today announced the indictment of four individuals for an alleged Phoenix-based telemarketing fraud. The defendants allegedly obtained some $17 million selling fraudulent Internet business opportunities to customers throughout the country.

Brent D. Emerson, 36, of Phoenix, Anthony Kristian White, 30, of Phoenix, Gary D. Murdie, 32, of Scottsdale, and Tiffany Marie O’Donnell, 29, of Mesa, were each indicted on two counts of fraudulent schemes and artifices, two counts of money laundering, two counts of theft, two counts of illegally conducting an enterprise and one count of aggravated taking identity of another.

From October 2003 to December 2006, the defendants sold online pharmacy Web sites. In January 2007, after the Maricopa County Superior Court issued a temporary restraining order restricting the defendants’ sales of online pharmacy Web sites, the defendants began selling online travel package Web sites.

The defendants allegedly did business under various names, including Guaranteed Prescriptions, Guaranteed Advertising, Premier Marketing Group and Executive Marketing Group.

This travel package business was conducted primarily under the names International Travel Connection, International Travel Brokers, International Travel Program, International Travel Network, T & L Marketing Services, L.L.C. and Smart Marketing.

The defendants also allegedly created the appearance that this travel package enterprise was operated, in part, by actual travel and marketing companies in California, Illinois and Oregon. These companies had no knowledge that defendants were using their identities.

This indictment is the result of an investigation by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

If convicted on all charges, the defendants each face up to 50 years in prison. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in Maricopa County Superior Court on August 28.

Also pending is a consumer fraud and civil racketeering action the Attorney General’s Office filed in Maricopa County Superior Court in 2006 regarding this telemarketing operation.